Elim Church

Yesterday's post described La Bajada, a Roman Catholic religious observance which culminates at the doors of San Salvador's Metropolitan Cathedral. Yet that was not the only large gathering of Christians in San Salvador on August 5. As many as 50,000 youth filled Cuscatlan stadium for a rally of Elim Church. The message of the rally was that youth could make a message of peace known throughout the country.

Elim Church is one of the 6 largest churches in the world, measured by number of members. Its membership of 147,000 comes together in small cell groups: 117,000 adults plus approximately 30,000 in children's cells. It dwarfs so-called mega-churches in the United States. On November 21, 2004, Elim held a rally so the whole church could worship at once: 200,000 people, including president Tony Saca and other political leaders, gathered together.

In May 2005, pastor Steve Cordle of Crossroads Church in Oakdale, Pennsylvania visited Elim Church and its pastor Mario Vega, and his description of the trip can be found here.

The growth of evangelical churches like Elim Church and the Baptist Biblical Tabernacle Friends of Israel are part of the ever increasing prominence of evangelicals in the region. Statements that El Salvador is a "Roman Catholic country" no longer adequately describe the religious activity in the region.